Black History Month Listening Project (Fifth Annual)

[baystateoftheart]

I'll be listening to Black artists exclusively again this February to celebrate Black History Month.

I will post weekly summaries of what I've checked out here.

If you want to join me in full or in part, this is the thread for you. Or if you want to simply share discoveries, recommendations, and discussion, this is also the thread for you!
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[Tha1ChiefRocka]

Would you like me to change my rec in the album below you thread to correspond to your month of listening? I'd be happy to do so.

[LedZep]

Well if you feel like listening to some great Detroit techno at any point this month, give this a go

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Internal Empire by Robert Hood
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Finally updated the overall chart

2020s
90s

[baystateoftheart]

[Tha1ChiefRocka]

[Fischman]

While I'm not likely to redesign my listening queue to be exclusively black artists, I do like to take this time to reflect on those black artists and album I've discovered/rediscovered in the past year.

In reviewing my diary, I find these to be my favorite albums by artists new to me:
Louis Smith - Here Comes Louis Smith
Archie Shepp - Kwanza
Prince Lasha and Sonny Simmons - Firebirds
Carmen McRae - Birds of a Feather
Denys Baptiste - Alternating Currents
Nate Morgan - Journey into Nigrita
Marcus Strickland; Open Reel Deck
Carter Jefferson - The Rise of Atlantis
Betty Carter - The Modern Sound of Betty Carter
Walter Smith III - Still Casual
Jay Jay Johnson - The Eminent Jay Jay Johnson
Fred Jackson - Hootin' and Tootin'
Lonnie Smith - Finger Lickin' Good


And these my favorite albums new to my but by familiar artists:
McCoy Tyner - Echoes of a Friend
Freddie Hubbard - Goin' Up
Charles Mingus - East Coasting
Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers - The Big Beat
Clark Terry - Swahili
Reggie Workman - Summit Conference
Thelonious Monk with John Coltrane - At Carnegie Hall
Donald Byrd - Fuego
Grant Green - Gooden's Corner
Blue Mitchell - Big 6
Regina Carter - Reverse Thread
Wayne Shorter - Night Dreamer
Dianne Reeves - A Little Moonlight

Other black artists I spent a lot of time rediscovering in 2021:
Jon Butcher
Parliament/Funkadelic
Aretha Franklin
William Grant Still
Fela Kuti

[Hayden]

I don't usually participate in this sort of stuff— I think pinpointing a single month to celebrate black history is... weird...— but by coincidence I happen to be in the midst of a couple works that fit the bill.

I'm reading these books this month—
Kei Miller - Augustown
Ismael Reed - Yellow Back Radio Broke-Down
Henry Dumas - Echo Tree
Roger Mais - Brother Man
Ngugi Wa Thiong'o - Wizard of The Crow (Almost done)
Dany Laferrière - The Return (Done)
Franketienne - Dezafi (Done)

Hoping to finish most of them by the end of February. And maybe Claude McKay's Amiable with Big Teeth if I can squeeze some time. It's got a bit of dust on my shelf.

And as far as music goes, I'm wrapping up my blues chart. Hoping to make it public in the next week or so. I think some members on here know this, but for a few reasons I've been studying a lot of blues, jazz and tango the last year. I know we already have quite a good blues chart posted on BEA, but I'm liking my crack at it. Looking forward to posting it.
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[baystateoftheart]

Here's what I heard during week 1 (February 1-7). Albums I've heard in full before = *

Amazing

Let's Stay Together - Al Green*

Great

Fever - Black Milk*
Alive! - Grant Green
Search For The New Land - Lee Morgan*
Never Too Much - Luther Vandross*
Sarah Vaughan In Hi-Fi - Sarah Vaughan*
I Learned The Hard Way - Sharon Jones And The Dap-Kings*
When I Get Home - Solange*
Athena - Sudan Archives*
In The Midnight Hour - Wilson Pickett*

Quite Good

Cassidy - Bows
Blackheart Man - Bunny Wailer*
Charlie Parker With Strings - Charlie Parker*
The Outrunners - Curren$y & Harry Fraud*
...For The Whole World To See - Death
Imperial - Denzel Curry*
3 'N The Mornin': Part Two [Blue] - DJ Screw*
The Children Of Africa - Dollar Brand*
Fatigue - L'Rain
Balens Cho (Hot Candles) - Mach-Hommy
Right Time - Mighty Diamonds*
Résumé: The Best Of Richie Havens - Richie Havens*
Dap-Dippin' With... Sharon Jones And The Dap-Kings - Sharon Jones And The Dap-Kings*

Pretty Good

Back From The Dead - Chief Keef

~~~~~

Verdict: the best album I discovered this week was...

GOLD

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Alive! by Grant Green

[baystateoftheart]

Also, thanks for the recs LedZep, Fischman, and Hayden! I've added four to my queue for this month.
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[baystateoftheart]

Here's what I heard during week 2 (February 8-14). Albums I've heard in full before = *

Amazing

Fly Me To The Moon - Bobby Womack*
Got To Find A Way - Curtis Mayfield*
Summertime: The Mixtape - DJ Jazzy Jeff & Mick Boogie*
The Electric Lady - Janelle Monáe*
Telefone - Noname*
What Color Is Love - Terry Callier*

Great

Conexão (EP) - Amber Mark*
Idle Moments - Grant Green*
Mwandishi - Herbie Hancock
The Ultimate Collection - Jackson 5*
Maxinquaye - Tricky

Quite Good

Second Line - Dawn Richard
Lianne La Havas - Lianne La Havas*
No Label II - Migos*
Jewelz - O.C.*
Pump Tha Party (Puttin' In Work) - Partners-N-Crime
Standing On The Corner - Standing On The Corner*
Sugarhill Gang - Sugarhill Gang*
Misterioso - Thelonious Monk Quartet*
Supa Sista - Ursula Rucker

Pretty Good

Hot Pink - Doja Cat

~~~~~

Verdict: the best albums I discovered this week were...

GOLD

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Mwandishi by Herbie Hancock

Another beautiful fusion album from Herbie Hancock where every track is strong. The standout is the particularly gorgeous opener, a suite dedicated to Angela Davis. Hancock's keys are the highlight as expected, but the rest of the lineup is outstanding too.

SILVER

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Maxinquaye by Tricky

I don't know why it took me so long to try this trip-hop classic, because after one listen I can already tell it holds up well to the other giants of the genre. Between Tricky's many inspired production choices, strong vocals (especially those of Martina Topley-Bird), and the tension and sensuality the hushed music masterfully conveys, Maxinquaye is a winner. Even the curveball of a Public Enemy cover works.

(I didn't listen to any other 4/5+ albums for the first time this week, so no bronze.)
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